Kitchen Remodel Cost Tiers for Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond & Kirkland (2025)
Kitchen remodel costs in the Seattle area are genuinely confusing to research. You'll find quotes ranging from $25,000 to $325,000 for 'kitchen remodels' — and both are real numbers for real projects. The difference is scope, finish level, and whether the project involves structural changes. This guide gives you the framework to understand where your project lands, what it'll cost in your specific city, and what decisions move the number most.
Why Seattle Kitchen Remodels Cost More Than the National Average
National sources cite average kitchen remodel costs of $25,000–$50,000. In the Seattle metro, those numbers represent the floor, not the midpoint. A proper full kitchen remodel in Seattle — gut demo, new cabinets, countertops, appliances, lighting, and flooring — starts at $45,000 for a smaller kitchen with modest finishes and commonly runs $80,000–$150,000 for a standard primary kitchen with quality materials.
The drivers are the same as bathrooms, amplified: more square footage, more trades involved, more days of construction. Cabinet lead times in 2025 run 6–14 weeks for semi-custom and 12–20 weeks for fully custom. That lead time is a project cost — your kitchen is out of commission longer.
Important distinction: Many national cost estimates use a '10×10 kitchen' benchmark — two walls of cabinets totaling 20 linear feet. Most Seattle homes have larger or more complex kitchens. Use the 10×10 number only as a starting point.
Kitchen Remodel Cost Tiers in the Seattle Area
Here is how the three tiers break down for a typical primary kitchen in a Seattle-area home, all-in including demo, cabinets, countertops, appliances, flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, labor, and permits.
Tier 1 — Cosmetic Update: $25,000–$50,000
Cabinet fronts replaced or painted (not full replacement), new countertops, new sink and faucet, new appliances, new flooring, and updated lighting. No layout changes, no moving appliances, no structural work.
This tier works well when your existing cabinet boxes are in good condition, the layout flows well, and you want a modern refresh without the disruption of a full gut. The ROI on this scope is typically the strongest — you're getting 70–85% of the visual impact at 30–40% of the cost of a full remodel.
Cabinet refacing vs. full replacement: Refacing (replacing doors and drawer fronts only) runs $4,000–$12,000. Full replacement starts at $15,000 for stock and goes to $60,000+ for fully custom. If your box layout is good, refacing is often the better economic decision.
Tier 2 — Full Mid-Range Remodel: $55,000–$100,000
Complete gut of existing kitchen, semi-custom cabinets, quartz or granite countertops, mid-range appliances (Samsung, LG, Bosch), LVP or tile flooring, updated lighting including under-cabinet LED, new plumbing fixtures. Layout stays largely the same — no wall removal, no appliance relocation.
This is the most common scope for Seattle homeowners and the tier that the 2025 Cost vs. Value data best represents. Cabinets are typically 30–40% of the total budget at this tier — $16,000–$40,000 depending on linear footage and finish level.
Stock cabinets (IKEA, Home Depot): $5,000–$8,000 for a typical kitchen Semi-custom (local suppliers, mid-range brands): $12,000–$25,000 Fully custom: $25,000–$60,000+
Tier 3 — Premium to Luxury: $100,000–$250,000+
Full structural changes — wall removal, island addition, ceiling work — custom cabinetry, premium appliances (Sub-Zero, Wolf, Miele), stone countertops, custom tile, architect or designer fees, and often multiple sub-trades working simultaneously.
In Bellevue and Kirkland, this tier is common for primary kitchen remodels in homes valued at $1.5M+. Emerald City Construction reports typical ranges of $150,000–$275,000 for Bellevue and $180,000–$300,000 for Kirkland at this level.
Wall removal is expensive. Removing a wall between kitchen and living room in Seattle costs $5,000–$25,000 depending on whether it's load-bearing. A structural engineer assessment ($400–$800) should always precede this decision.
City-by-City Kitchen Cost Comparison
The table below shows realistic all-in ranges for a full mid-range kitchen remodel (semi-custom cabinets, quartz countertops, mid-range appliances, no wall removal) by city.
| City | Low End | High End | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $55,000 | $100,000 | Older homes often need electrical/plumbing upgrades |
| Bellevue | $70,000 | $150,000 | Higher finish expectations; premium trades commonplace |
| Redmond | $58,000 | $110,000 | Mix of tech-owner new builds and older Eastside homes |
| Kirkland | $65,000 | $130,000 | Waterfront/view premiums; strong demand for open layouts |
What Actually Drives Kitchen Remodel Costs
Cabinets are the largest single line item and the biggest source of budget variation. The difference between stock and fully custom cabinetry for the same kitchen can be $20,000–$40,000. Semi-custom from a local supplier is usually the sweet spot — better quality than stock, significantly less than fully custom.
Appliance selection varies enormously. A full mid-range appliance package (refrigerator, range, dishwasher, microwave) from Samsung or LG runs $4,000–$7,000. The equivalent Wolf/Sub-Zero package is $20,000–$45,000. Both cook identically — the premium is for build quality, serviceability, and prestige.
Countertops are highly visible and worth spending on. Quartz runs $65–$120/sq ft installed in Seattle. Granite is similar. Marble looks beautiful but stains and etches — most Seattle contractors will talk you out of it for a primary kitchen.
Structural changes are binary cost events. If you decide mid-project to move the sink, that's $3,000–$8,000 in plumbing changes plus permit revision. Decide everything before demo day.
Timing saves real money. Kitchen remodels starting November–January in Seattle often land 10–15% below peak-season quotes. Contractors fill winter capacity with booked work at lower margins.
Stanley FatMax 25-Foot Tape Measure
The single most useful thing you can do before your first contractor meeting is measure your kitchen accurately — cabinet runs, window locations, ceiling height. Contractors will ask, and showing up with numbers builds credibility and saves billable design time.
- Blade standout of 11 ft — measure solo across a full kitchen run
- FatMax blade is wide enough to stay rigid on long pulls
- Magnetic tip hooks cabinet edges and corners without a helper
- Trusted by contractors; virtually indestructible
Free Kitchen Remodel Budget Template
The same spreadsheet our editors used to plan a complete Seattle kitchen remodel under $72,000 — with line items, allowances, and a contingency calculator.